This invention relates to a method of manufacturing and forming various types of barriers used, for example, in safeguarding highways, providing temporary water dams and for forming portable walls.
For many years, highways have been provided with barriers such as dividers for separating traffic lanes and to protect construction crews working on the highways. The dividers are often permanently installed on the highways and, in almost all instances, are temporarily installed for the duration of construction work. These barriers are usually made with concrete and are formed in sections approximately ten feet long and having a cross-section similar to that of a truncated pyramid. The barriers are elongated such that they can be placed in an end-to-end relationship. Typical concrete dividers can weigh over 3,000 pounds and are very cumbersome to transport and arrange.
In addition, the concrete dividers' rigidity does not allow for the absorption of impact forces upon a collision. This has the disadvantageous effect of causing automobiles to bounce off the barrier and back into the flow of traffic which can create other accidents.
Other known highway barriers are constructed of a lightweight hollow barrier shell which is filled at the construction site with a ballast material such as water, sand or other fluid material. These barriers, however, require an inordinate amount of labor to assemble at the site due to the filling of the barrier shells.
Also known is a marker block used for visually separating traffic lanes. The marker block has dimensions of approximately 1 meter long and 8 cm high. This type of marker can be formed from an elastic material, preferably vulcanized or recycled rubber. The rubber reduces the tension and forces acting upon the marker material. These small markers are formed by using discarded tires which are cut into small pieces and mixed with a suitable adhesive. The mixture is then filled into a mold of the desired shape and solidifies to a prismatic, elastic block. These small marker blocks, however, are used to visually distinguish between lanes rather than forming highway barriers having large dimensions and which protect against high impact collisions. Further, the cost and effort of molding large barriers with this type of premixed mixture becomes prohibitive.
The present invention provides a method for manufacturing large barriers from used tires, non-recyclable plastics, or similar articles. This has the advantage of diminishing the tremendous stockpile of tires across the country that have festered as breeding grounds for fires and all types of undesirable rodents and insects. Similarly, the growing amounts of non-recyclable scrap plastic which pose environmental hazards are also diminished. The present invention makes use of large quantities of both scrap tires and non-recyclable plastics in the manufacture of the barriers.
It is an advantage of the present method to insert a cage frame formed of either a metal or plastic mesh material having a metal base, such as a steel plate, into the manufacturing mold. The frame is dimensioned to fit into the mold and have an approximate quarter-inch clearance from the mold sides.
It is a further advantage to provide the cage frame with a vertical rod attached to the metal base and extending outward from the mold. The rod includes a ringed portion at its outer end to aid in lifting the finished product from the mold, other types of lifting devices also being possible.
The inserted cage is filled within approximately two inches from the top with scrap tires which have been cut into the desired size pieces. The final two inches may then be filled with shredded non-recyclable plastics. Alternatively, the mold may be completely filled with either the scrap tires or non-recyclable plastics.
An epoxy or adhesive-type material is then poured into the clearance gap formed between the mold and the cage. The material flows through the cage frame mesh and partially into the rubber pieces, forming a solid case around the entire block while leaving the interior elastic material unbonded for energy absorbing purposes. This minimizes the amount of epoxy necessary and thus reduces the barrier cost. Once the liquid is set, the product is removed and cured. This produces a sturdy, portable or permanent barrier which can then be finished with a sealant and painted. Alternately, the epoxy itself can be colored prior to curing to produce variously colored barriers.
It is an advantage of the manufacturing process for the barriers that it can be performed indoors or outdoors over a wide range of temperatures, e.g. 50.degree.150.degree. F. Further, the process does not require a heated mold, environmental controls, mechanical devices, etc., as are found in traditional molding processes. This reduces the manufacturing expenses.
These and other advantages of the present invention are more readily apparent with reference to the following description and claims in light of the accompanying drawings.